Bentonville, Ark. – The Momentary announces plans to host the inaugural Live in America Festival, a free, performing arts festival by Austin-based nonprofit organization Fusebox that focuses on diversity and broad US geographical representation through communal programming. The festival will present more than 300 artists from eight distinct communities across the US, its territories, and Mexico by way of 30 events that will take place over the course of two weeks at the Momentary, October 13-24, 2021.

Full schedule, tickets, safety measures, and more for the 2021 Live in America Festival at the Momentary will be shared closer to date.

Bringing together a rich landscape of performances that illuminate vivid lands, peoples, and cultural traditions, the Live in America Festival will challenge who we are as a country and create a deeper sense of the connections between us. Performance, dance, music, song, food, rituals, and traditions will be shared by artists across multiple performance sites at the Momentary from each of the eight communities, which include Northwest Arkansas; Las Vegas, Nevada; the Apache, Diné, and Pueblo Nations of Albuquerque, New Mexico; the sister cities of El Paso, Texas and Juárez, Mexico; New Orleans, Louisiana; Sumter County, Alabama; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Detroit, Michigan.

“We’re excited to bring Live in America to Northwest Arkansas and have its inaugural festival take place at the Momentary,” said Carra Martinez, director of Live in America. “It is a privilege to work alongside talented artists and facilitators from across the country to create a festival reflective of the social and political contexts that create a deep sense of place and purpose for each community.”

Live in America explores how festivals might be programmed communally, pushing the boundaries of form, function, and social impact within the contemporary performing arts genre. All programming for the festival has been selected by a diverse team of artists and facilitators, including members from each of the eight communities. The current team includes:

Danny R. W. Baskin | Northwest Arkansas

Shana Berger | Alabama

Ty Defoe (Oneida/Ojibwe) | Albuquerque

Jamelyn Ebelacker (Santa Clara Pueblo) | Albuquerque

Justin Favela | Las Vegas

Marina Reyes Franco | Puerto Rico

Gary James | Alabama

Glenda James | Alabama

Wendy Kveck | Las Vegas

C Gypsi Lewis | New Orleans

Octavio Logo | Northwest Arkansas

Edgar Picazo Merino | El Paso/Juarez

Amalia Mondragón | El Paso/Juarez

Jay Pennington A/K/A Rusty Lazer | New Orleans

Amber Perrodin | Northwest Arkansas

Leyya Mona Tawil | Detroit

Zac Traeger | Austin

Visit here to learn more about the team.

“Live in America is working to discover and celebrate the most unique, grassroots, and local art scenes from across the nation, including Northwest Arkansas,” said Arkansas-based mixed media artist Amber Perrodin. “By engaging local artists at the community level, Live in America has been able to tap into a rich arena of performance art, musicians, dancers, and artists in each of these communities that will all coalesce in one not-to-be-missed festival.”

“People of color have long been the storytellers and protectors of cultural traditions and the land they inhabit,” said Jamelyn Ebelacker, Santa Clara Pueblo Native artist and community activist. “Festivals like Live in America provide our communities with the resources necessary to hold meaningful space and share our stories and knowledge in an educational way that respects and reflects the voices of our people.”

“Live in America highlights the sense of place through art,” said Pia Agrawal, curator of performing arts at the Momentary. “Many are searching for a sense of place right now, and we’re looking forward to being able to showcase the artists in our community and beyond through this festival. What better way to come together than through art.”

Lunch with Live in America:

In advance of the 2021 Live in America Festival, the Momentary will host virtual conversations to share additional insight about the festival between Carra Martinez, director of Live in America, Cynthia Post Hunt, programmer of theater and dance at the Momentary, and the artists and facilitators from select communities. The conversations will be available on the Momentary’s Facebook and YouTube channel. View upcoming events online at theMomentary.org/calendar.

Live in America is supported by the Walton Family Foundation.

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About Live in America and Fusebox

Live in America is a multi-year research process and festival created and developed by Fusebox. Learn more about Live in America at live-in-america.com.

Based in Austin, Texas, Fusebox is a global hub for the study, commissioning, and presentation of contemporary live performance. Fusebox programs bring unique artistic projects to thousands of people in Central Texas and surrounding regions; provide support and resources to artists; and address vital civic issues at the center of contemporary life. Through our pioneering initiative Free Range Art, our annual Fusebox Festival is 100% free to attend. Our aim is to make new and adventurous art accessible to all. Learn more about Fusebox at fuseboxfestival.com.

About the Momentary

The Momentary is a new contemporary art space in downtown Bentonville, Arkansas, for visual, performing, and culinary arts. The mission of the Momentary is to champion contemporary art’s role in everyday life and explore the unfolding story of contemporary American arts in an international context by actively commissioning and exhibiting outstanding works that explore new ideas and inspire action. The Momentary was founded by the Walton family, based on the vision of Tom, Olivia, and Steuart Walton. The Walton Family Foundation is supporting this project as a way to enhance the quality of life in Northwest Arkansas. The Momentary is a satellite to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, founded by Alice Walton. The Momentary welcomes all with free general admission. Additional offerings include an artist-in-residence program, culinary experiences including an Onyx Coffee Lab, indoor and outdoor gathering spaces, an outdoor festival space, and a gift store. For more information, visit theMomentary.org. The Momentary is located at 507 SE E Street, Bentonville, Arkansas 72712. The Momentary’s Founding Funders are Walton Family Foundation, Walmart, RØDE Microphones, The Coca-Cola Company, Tyson Family Foundation, and Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation.